student loan

Going to college is exciting. New school. New environment. New friends. It is the start of a new journey for those students who are determined to achieve their dreams. However, getting a higher education is not an easy thing. The journey would be full of challenges, and this includes financial difficulties especially for those who do not have enough resources to finance their college education.

Getting a college education

Lack of fund is not a hindrance though if you really want to achieve your dreams. There are several ways on how you can finance your college education. You can either get a student loan or apply for scholarships. Both of which you can get from the government or private institutions.

Student Loan

In the US, most students who are financially incapable of going to college take advantage of student loans. But then, just like any other loan, a student loan bears interest, and it is something that should be paid off after a certain period of time. Otherwise, it could cause several problems. In fact, there is a huge number of people in America who are so troubled because of student loans.

You probably have heard the story of a Dad battles to get college debts removed. With this, you can tell that student loans can be stressful if not paid on time. Therefore, if you opt to take out a student loan for you to go to college, you should be responsible enough. Right after you graduate, you should come up with a smart plan on how you can settle your student debt.

Scholarship

Unlike a student loan, taking advantage of a college scholarship won’t involve a debt that needs to be paid. This is a great privilege for students who meet the qualifications for a certain scholarship program. There are several scholarships that you can apply for if this is the path that you want to take. You can check the programs that are being offered by the US government. Many private companies are also providing such assistance to all worthy students.

Most of the time, the qualifications for scholarship grants are based on the academic standing of a student. If he or she maintains the required grade, then the scholarship program will continue to finance the college education. On the other hand, if a scholarship grantee fails to maintain the requirements, then he will lose the privilege.

Getting a higher education is, indeed, very challenging. Whether you opt to avail of a student loan or a scholarship program, you have to be responsible enough. Keep in mind that there is nothing impossible. If you are determined, you will surely attain your goal.…

If you have already decided that a student loan is in your near future, you may be wondering just what the difference is between a federal student loan and a private student loan. While both of these loans will provide you with money to go to school, there are many key differences that you need to take into consideration before you settle on the type you plan to take out. Below, we will go over the differences, which should help you pick the right one much more easily.

Federal Student Loans

When you take a look at federal student loans, there are two main types, which include the federal direct loan program and the federal Perkins loan program. The Perkins loan program is designed for students who have an exceptional financial need and is not as common.

The federal direct loan program is one of the most popular and relied on loan programs for students. The Department of Education is the lender when you take out one of these loans. There are four subcategories of loans, which include the direct subsidized loan, direct unsubsidized loan, direct PLUS loans, and direct consolidation loans.

Subsidized loans are for students who do have a financial need and unsubsidized loans are for students who do not need help financially.

Benefits of the Federal Student Loan Program

Federal student loans are beneficial for students in a variety of ways. For example, you do not have to pay interest on your loans until you graduate or leave school. In some cases, the government will actually pay for the interest on your student loans while you attend school.

Federal student loans also offer flexible repayment plans. You can apply for different programs including the income-based repayment plan. This plan will evaluate how much money you make annually and then base your monthly payments on a percentage of your discretionary income. Sometimes, students have a $0 payment every month.

In addition, loan forgiveness programs do exist and as long as you meet the requirements, your loan will be forgiven.

Lastly, the interest rate on your loan is fixed instead of variable. This means that you will pay the same interest rate throughout the life of your loan and you do not have to worry about it fluctuating.

Private Student Loans

A private student loan is a loan that is offered by a bank or private institution and it is not offered through the federal program. These loans are different than federal loans and offer a variety of different benefits.

Typically, to apply for a private student loan, you need to have good credit, a favorable credit history, a job, and you may need a co-signer. This is often difficult for students to obtain and thus, they cannot always apply for a private loan.

Benefits of Private Student Loans

While these types of loans differ from the federal loan program, there are still some benefits of choosing this option.

For starters, private loans often come with a variable interest rate, which means you may receive a significantly lower interest rate than you would with a federal loan. If you are not too worried about a rate increase, then the variable rate will benefit you in a number of ways and you will not only pay less per month, you will also save thousands of dollars.

Private student loans are also beneficial because you can obtain more than one when needed. A federal student loan is only offered in per year or semester amounts, whereas, you can obtain multiple private loans.

Downsides to Private Student Loans

There are some downsides to private student loans. For example, you do not have the same repayment options and protections that federal student loans offer and you must repay private loans immediately, meaning there is no break in between the time you receive the money and the time you graduate.

Final Thoughts on Federal and Private Student Loans

Federal student loans are a wise choice, but ultimately, it is up to you as to which one you want to apply for. Remember, you do have more protection when you apply for and receive a federal loan.…

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